Gibeau: The Old Republic is the first MMO with a story

EA Games head Frank Gibeau has said Star Wars: The Old Republic will be the first MMO to have a story, and dismissed World of Warcraft's quest lines as "shopping list"-like.

"It’s the first time an MMO has actually had a story," Gibeau told Industry Gamers.

"When I play World of Warcraft, you go and get your quests, and you go and do your quests, but it feels more like doing a shopping list at times," he continued.

"[Our game] is more about talking to characters, learning what’s going on, investing in it, getting emotionally attached to it. You can still go in accessible ways and grind out quests if you want, but at the same time there’s a higher-level story that’s carrying you through The Old Republic."

Gibeau also commented on The Old Republic's differentiation from World of Warcraft.

"On multiple levels we’re highly differentiated and different from World of Warcraft. We’re not being slavish or imitating them at all," he said.

"We’re doing our own thing. We’re doing our own unique way.

"... It’s very different than orcs and humans and night elves and the rest. On the first level, the IPs are highly different, the gameplay highly differentiated, and the stories highly differentiated."

Gibeau is a big fan of World of Warcraft himself, but is backing The Old Republic all the way.

"I love Blizzard products, but they’re not the entire market. There is an opportunity to come in with a new IP," he said.

Thanks, 1UP.